10 Life Lessons I've learnt from the Netherlands.. My life has really changed 🤭
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 24 มิ.ย. 2024
- Hi Beautiful people,
This week I decided to share with you, the life lessons I've learnt from living in the Netherlands and interacting with the Dutchies. I took some time to really reflect and see how my perspective has changed since moving to this beautiful small country. Do drop your thoughts and comments and please consider subscribing 🙃.
Enjoy!
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#lifeinthenetherlands #lifelessons #dutchyoutuber
Your positive vibe is very uplifting and refreshing. You and your family make the Netherlands an even better place than it already was. ;-)
Thank you so so much Marjan. You are amazing 🤗
I agree
@obimk1 Ik heb daar mijn hele leven geleeft maar daar heb ik nog nooit van gehoord... Ik denk dat het heel erg regionaal is.
@obimk1 Ik ben 55 en uit Den Bosch (en een groot PSV fan btw). Misschien zijn wij wel op tijd.... Boeren!
Thank you for your nice video!
About being on time an anecdote. I was working on a project with some Dutch and West African friends. Habib, my best friend form Guinee Conakry, commented on our dress style when we met. He said in his culture you dress nicely for a meeting. This is a way of showing respect, showing that you feel the meeting is important. He was troubled by the fact that the Dutch people were dressed very, very casually. I took that comment to heart but I also pointed out that our way of showing respect to the people in the meeting was to show up on time and to have all the things done that we agreed on at the last meeting. We laughed at the different ways of our cultures and from then on I dressed my best and he came on time. Double win!
Hi Maurits. Thanks so much for sharing your experience. I think I can relate with Habib. We really put in the effort to dress well especially when the meeting is official. I’m glad it was a double win situation 😆. Do you still dress nice to meetings? Just curious 😆
The Netherlands can be proud you have you as a citizen. Voorbeeldig! Bless you en blijf je ervaring delen! Tot de volgende keer x
Dank je veel 🤗
always a joy to watch you Josephine
Thanks so much Evita
You sound delightfully happy and I feel happier just having watched your video! I am glad you ARE so happy here :)
Thank you so much 🤗🤗
@@josphineogugua Ps: I LUV your make up. I'm just an old farmer girl, and make up will never suit me, (I rub my eyes constantly...it's just no use) but I absolutely love to see this with the gradients to different colors. I can look at that all day. I also love iridesence, (both in make up, paint, fish, doesn't matter, lol) so I guess loving colors, and iridesence, and glimmery stuff...I'm a fan. LOL 🥰
Nice life lessons and very well formulated. As an immigrant living also in the Netherland, I can relate to your well categorised observations.
Thank you Tom. I'm glad you can relate.🤗
Your observations are very appreciated. 🙂 Thank you for sharing your life lessons from the Netherlands! 🇳🇱 🌷
Hey Josphine :-) You are a good observer! Very accurate! I tend not to plan everything but I do for the more important things. And yes I have to admit I don't like waiting too much. In my book I can wait for people to come over for about 15 minutes at most. Anything beyond that is getting rude. Especially in a professional setting! If you have an appointment with your hairdresser his/her time is money so you better be in time = slightly earlier. As much as at a doctor etc. Friends are less very strict on time. But still in a 15 minute margin! 🙂
Hi Hans,
Thanks for your comment.
I learnt from the school of hard knocks not to be late anymore😆. I tried to be punctual in professional settings but for leisure, I saw myself being super late. But I'm much better now💃🏽💃🏽
Hi :) I’m just thinking about moving out to Amsterdam from Poland. Thank you for all your films 🥰😎
My father always taught me. Respect isn't something you just get, respect is something you have to earn. No matter who you are.
Also respect is given to you, but it can be taken away just as easily.
I agree that respect is earned. I also appreciate when people are given equal opportunity to earn it. I think that's where I admire the Netherlands.
I whas tought that everybody earns respect but by your behavoire you can loose it.
Even though respect is not something you get, it is something that should always be given first, whether it is earned or not. Nobody has to "proof" themselves first to obtain respect.
I love your video's a lot, so far.
Positive and also direct (clear) so quite like the Dutch would do 👍🏽
Well done.👌🏽
Everything is spot on..
Thanks so much for your feedback Fitz 🤗
I love that you love our country, we are maybe not the best country in the world but I think the Dutch try to make the best of it! 🙂
facts!
@Jack van der Sluis. There is no best coutry in the world, that is all based on opinions therefor subjective.
@@komkwam Thanks.
You're such a philosopher.
S9 right!❤
Very good observations about our culture. Ik opens my eyes on it. Thank you.
You're so welcome Frans and thanks for your comment
I would not normally do this but I have to comment on your dress. I love those colours. They are gorgeous and work so well together. They are just “happy” colours.
Your positive words about the Dutchues gives me a boost about the Dutch. Thank you for that. You always look beautiful ( The Dutch can learn that from you). Like the blouse you have on... ☺️
Thanks so so much Liv. I do appreciate your comment 🤗
Welcome to Holland! I love your vibe 🥰
You look at things with an open mind, you are willing to embrace new values, with grace, which to me signals intelligence and a generous heart.
Apart from that, you are stunningly beautiful and I always look forward to your video's.
Thanks so much Eliane for your comment. I’m so grateful to have people like you on my channel🤗🤗🤗🤗
Loving your videos, well done hun
Thanks Samantha🤗
Haha you've been had. Normally the warning for borrowing (which is a legal obligation) says "Let op, geld lenen kost geld" which is what you said, but the one you show in the video actually says "Geld lenen levert geld op" which means borrowing money gets you (more) money.
😆😆😆My poor Dutch keeps ruining the day for me. Thanks so much Luk for pointing this out. 😆
A good example of Dutch directness. It’s not patronizing, or insulting. It states what’s good, describes the problem and give the solution in a friendly way.
@@jannetteberends8730 Also no obligation to take the advice and follow it.
True the Dutch are obsessed with time. and scedules . ( We even invented the pendulem clock and pocket watch ) 5 minutes early 5 minutes late is acceptable , 10 minutes and hell breaks lose.
Respect well children are also treated in the same manor .they are treated like equals . the opinion of a child is as important as that of an adult .
THe prices well if you look at the prices of some items they ususualy say advies prijs ( advised price ) That means you can negotiate . . or if you buy an expensive item . get something extra or negotiate some of the price . A store having goods sitting to long cost money electronics as soon you take out the latest moddel the next model is aldreay put in its place. .
Thanks so much Marcus for your comment. I can definitely relate 😆
About the last one, the warning about loans: this is due to some really sketchy loan companies ruining people financially with big promises and hiding the fact that they'll have to pay back everything with a lot of interest.
So to make sure people don't end up homeless because of debts, the government now requires these warnings to be given whenever there's an option for loans.
I'm not sure if cellphone providers are also required to do this, but in my opinion they should, as a lot of times people forget that that "free" phone is something they'll have to pay off with their contract, and it's actually putting them in dept with the provider.
I'm glad the government put this in place. It helps to bring clarity and save people from being deceived.
Thanks for your comment🤗
@@josphineogugua I personally don't like that one picture. It actually says lending money, gives money with an picture and a chain (very unclear)
It should be lending money cost you money. (that is the fact)
About the phones, buy a sim free one (bigger first investment), and take a sim only contract, in the long term it is cheaper.
@@josphineogugua you actually used a wrong (spoof) image. The warning normally given states: "Let op! Geld lenen kost geld" (a loan costs money). The image you used however, states: "Let op! geld lenen levert geld op" (a loan earns you money).
@@freudsigmund72 So true, my poor Dutch puts me on the spot alot of times😩. Thanks for pointing it out.
I really like this video! I am glad you are having a good time here. All the best wished to you guys! Greetings from Delft.
Lucas
Thank you for your videos. I have been searching for a country that aligns with my personal values and I am very intrigued by the way the Dutch live.
Meanwhile in the south of the Netherlands: Brabants Kwartiertje. It's not uncommon to be 15 minutes late.
The part about not coming in too early is very true, though!
I've experienced multiple occasions where a few minutes late was well acceptable, but being early wasn't.
I do most things last minute, so when someone is early, they catch me off guard
I'm from Brabant. We frown upon being late as wel but we don't make a fuss about it. But don't be late to often!
Thank you 💯🙏❤️
Wel said, I think you got most of what our country is about, our culture and our people.
One I wil add that is a Dutch saying: "Doe maar normaal, dan doe je al gek genoeg"
Roughly translates to: "Act normal, that's already crazy enough"
Also do like what others sometimes say about our country in a sense.. "God created the Earth, the Dutch created the Netherlands"
Hope you enjoy your stay here and may you find more great life lessons from the Dutch. We are very open and welcoming, which has actually costed us in some ways as wel unfortunately. But we rather not dwell on negativity and move forward towards more positivity.
Thanks so much for sharing 😊
@@josphineogugua Happy to share, thank you for sharing your video. 👍
Once you have decided to live in another country, especially in a country on the other side of the world, you will go through all the steps of grieving: you say goodbye to family, friends and everything you are emotionally attached to in your original country.
And don't underestimate it; this farewell can be compared with saying goodbye to someone who has fallen away from you.
In addition, the home country and the conditions in the home country as you left it will not be the home country and the conditions in which you will find the it after years abroad for 2 reasons:
1. Your home country and the people who live there (family and friends) is/are subject to constant changes and evolution's, however small as they can be which you hardly notice when you live there, but all together most likely will provide you a completely different experience of your home country and that this is the reason that after years of absence your home country does no longer feel like your home country and your friends and even family the way you left it/them.
2. Like it or not, you'll still get used (socially, politically, climate-technically and more) to the host country where you stay for a number of years and this habituation changes your perspective with regard to many things to your homeland. Being critical in your home country with regard to matters that you previously never would have discussed in your home country will therefore occur more often than you would like. And you simply cannot have both; you will have to make choices. Structural choices that give you a future in your country of choice. By choosing a certain country, you distance yourself and say goodbye to the other country, including the people who live there, and you welcome the new country, the new language and the new culture and the new norms and values and the people who live there just like yourself.
Even if you would fully accept the host country or new country and you would fully integrate into this new country with the new language and the new culture and the new norms and values, you still will go through the complete grieving process of parting with regard to the old country. It is absolutely not possible to keep everything you had in the old country without hindering your integration in the new country. This really is a Black or White situation, you've gotta choose...so it's all about choices unfortunately. You simply can't have both. The grieving process is inevitable, but don't go into the grieving process without giving yourself a real chance of success in the host country or perhaps during permanent immigration; the new country.
These are unfortunately the facts as they are. I wish you wisdom at your choices.
The netherlands change my life.God blees this country for me and my family.
I'm so glad you've loved your stay too🤗
Most Dutch people are atheists. Do you really think God should bless them?
you make the Netherlands a better country than it was before! (I know you get told that a lot but it’s true!) also,these are all great points and observations.
edit: and I recently saw your video about your racist experience. I am so sorry that happened to you, I wish racists didn’t exist, I’m so sorry some of our people are like that . i guess everywhere there are bad people, sadly
Hi Maxie,
Thank you so much for your comment.
I do agree that there are grumpy unhappy people everywhere but I'm also really glad to have kind people like you who make my stay more beautiful, and that's the people I choose to focus on 🤗
Happy to change a life 🥰
I guess I’m partly Dutch. I hate negotiating and directness is not my strongest point. I like to be on time, but I really try to keep my agenda as empty as possible although, it seems like other people have made it their live goal to fill it up with all sorts of appointments they want us to attend. My Indonesian friends always tell me (djam karet) which means time is elastic and I should listen to them more often.
I am Dutch, and I like to plan my appointments, also social ones. But I can also be spontaneous. My agenda is mostly filled with work/job.
So with also needing and wanting time for myself, to rewind, etc. It helps to make appointments, other wise it become more like "later" - uitstellen. *Van uitstel komt afstel,* or it is a thing that became/is routine. Like going to parents/family/friends - going out on Fridays, or Church on Sundays or what holy day you personally have. So it might seem very restricted because I "plan" but in my view it is more elastic, but more for my personal time. Otherwise you plan the whole agenda full, and you always come last, if there is time, you fall sick, etc.
Hahaha. I think it's just my general view or opinion but everyone is definitely different. Its good to see a Dutchie who is flexible with time though 😁
@@josphineogugua Wel, everyone is different, except me of course 😉
Thank you for your lovely video. The negotiation in stores is new to me, although I once noticed people doing it when I was working as a shop as a teenager. I was raised in an area where there isn’t much directness, but learned to get used to it when moving to Amsterdam. I love it, you don’t have to wonder if people are really friendly or only because e e.g. their boss tells them to (as I noticed in some. countries). It is honest and I love honesty. By the way I am Dutch
Hi Claudia, thanks for your comment🤗. I'm glad you like being direct, I also think it's better than mincing words. For the negotiating part, it's definitely not in all stores but it does exist.
I think that the money issue settles in our genes, dating from the time we were the world's greatest trading nation.
I agree with all you mentioned
If you are at work an hour before everyone and the last to leave in the Netherlands then you manager is more likely to wonder if you're up to the job than to see you are promotion material. :')
Nice video! It's always nice to see someone newly added to our society feeling at home.
I’ve learnt to work smart too in the past year
It does make work easier and better🤗
Goed gedaan ,top .
thank you for this. i was so worried people would be mean and racist toward me because I'm Chinese but I think I'm reassured now
Planning. Yes, we do, but not exactly to an T. There are always workarounds without wrecking a schedule for fun things. We gladly move somethings around for that 'impulsive appointment'.
Thanks for sharing Paul. I understand that plans are a bit flexible. But being one who is spontaneous, the Dutch level of organization and planning seems sooo high in comparison to what I was used to. But ofcourse planning to the T might be an exaggeration from my part😁
Nne we don land ooo,missed ooo let me now watch the video 😄
Hahahaha. Thanks babe. I was away last week😆
Nice to hear your life lessons and watch your positive attitude. But as a Dutchie, I feel sad that apparently I can negotiate everywhere, I didn’t know that… I was a thieve of my own wallet as we say here.
Me too, I didn't know that you can negotiate everywhere, and I'm 71 already. Never too old to learn something.
I'm Dutch; I'm not a strict planner.
Wordt helemaal blij als ik je filmpjes zie!!. Mensen zoals jou daar moeten we er veel meer van hebben!.
Hebben ze in Nigeria nog behoefte aan een paar duizend corrupte politici dan kunnen er meer zoals als jij en je familie naar ons land komen!.
For parties you don’t always have to be present at the start. For example with birthdays (at home) you can join and leave when you want. However if there is a party outside the home, in a hired place. Like for example with a wedding, or when someone celebrates something special, being present at the requested time is required.
And I don’t understand how this is different to other countries and why that should work. Let’s say I invite friends and family over to celebrate a life event, and I have arranged a special performance, catering and other entertainment. Than I expect people to arrive at a very similar time. Obviously you don’t have to be there exactly at for example 8 o’clock. But to arrive at 4 o’clock when the invitation says 8 o’clock is very rude, just like coming 3 hours later than the starting time.
Because if everyone does this, it will impact the quality of the gathering. It is much nicer when the period most people are present is as long as possible.
However, it is SMART to be present at the start. Yes sometimes you end up helping. But the fact that you dont have to come in and greet everyone is such a plus!
ik ben nederlands en ik ben het eens met alles wat je zij
I think I'd like Dutch people. Even when I'm broke, the idea of loans doesnt sit well with me, buy what you can afford or save in advance. I thought I was crazy.
How can I relocate there ? I love the country already
Showing off in the Netherlands is ‘not done’, but to boast how you saved money is one of our bad, and sometimes annoying, habits.
And not everywhere in the Netherlands they are that punctual with time. In the south there is the infamous ‘Mestreechs kerteerke.’ Or Maastricht’s kwartiertje = the quarter of an hour of Maastricht. It’s shorter than in Nigeria, but still…
The planned living is something that developed the last decades. It wasn’t always like that. And I think it’s not good. It’s seems that leisure time became very valuable. And that means that there is a shortage of it.
Hi Jannette, Thank you so much for your comment. I can relate to the boasting about saving money😆. I never knew about the Mestreechs kerteerke... Just learnt something new🤗.
This reminds me of our Brabants kwartiertje as well.
Maybe it's a southern thing?
Like carnaval.
We do tend to look at life differently than people in the randstad.
😁😁😁
❤💯🙏
❤️❤️❤️❤️✝️
:) You know you've become Dutch, when, on holidays in your country of origin, you get upset when the city buss is 2 minutes late :)
Time and being on time - many cultures are not that good with time, on the other hand once you know this - you plan the appointment sooner and you stick to the real time. So if it starts at 6, and a person is always 1 hour late, you tell them it starts at 5. Why should I waste 1 hour of my time on waiting, as people point out time is expensive, wasted time you can't get back.
Remember the American slogan; nobody will say in his deathbed, I wished I worked more.
We say that here too.
"I work to live, I don't live to work".
Ayeeeee…. 🤗
Hi Josephine, nice video. The picture about the loans you inserted in the video is the wrong one. Not corresponding with your spoken words. Probably a prank of someone ? The message in the video STIMULATES to take a loan ('you will make money with a loan'), the original (governmental) message just stresses the opposite ('rethink taking a loan, in the end it will cost you (lots of) money'). 😁. You better change it.
Please, one thing: don't swipe the image so often from left to right or vice versa. That gives a boost om your nerves
Make a pause instead. That's nicer.
Here we do not have respect for authorities, or rich people...you have to earn it, you can't buy it :) The one % doesn't get any respect here, they are usually disliked..
This is really insightful. Glad you are so open to learn and take on best practices from another people group. When we all learn from each other, we all get a bit better ;)
I'm not sure who started to call the Dutch people 'Dutchies', but I'm not pleased with it. Especially not, when you know how tall we are. We are not your pets. Please refer to us as 'the Dutch' or 'the Dutch people'. That'll do just fine. We'll not call the Nigerian people Nigies then.
Jezus... don't be so sensitive.. I do it all the time and many Dutchies use deminutives (-tje) to address things. You might get pissed off by it but many Dutch citizens are very much OK with it.
@@Dutchbelg3 Happy for you, but I find it derogative and I'm not the only one. This person is sensitive to that, the other to something else. We might as well take one another into account. Just to stay cordial.
No reason for you to start cursing.
If you spend more time on working than on living you are either incompetent or very bad in time management. Dutch people work to live and they don't want to live to work. We never bought the 24/7/365 availability crap that is so engrained in other cultures. We also will ditch our current employer if someone else offers more per hour. The only obligation we have to our loved ones is to earn as much money possible in as little time possible so we can spend more time with the people that really matter in our life.
Work to live, not live to work... if your work doesn't allow you to live, you have the wrong job..
So before You moved to the country who Infiltrated and enslaved endless Countries... You did not know that everybody deserves respect, before you came to NL? And you learnt this from Dutch people. Wow. Respect!!
if it aint Dutch it aint much lol
Hi dear, please how can I contact you privately either through Instagram or WhatsApp?